Just a Moment

Our daughter, Trisha recently wrote online regarding their special needs daughter Eliana. I quote her.

“Like many others, I saw the viral story of a couple who chose to terminate a pregnancy after receiving a diagnosis of Down Syndrome. As the parent of a child with special needs, I felt a pit in my stomach when I read this. The truth is, raising a child with special needs is hard. There have been tears, fears, heartbreak, and challenges I never expected. There are days when the weight feels overwhelming. But the “hard” of raising Eliana has also been one of the greatest blessings of our lives. 

Because of Eliana, our family is more patient, more compassionate, and more grateful. She has taught us lessons we could not have learned any other way. We are better because of her, not in spite of her.

Our culture tells us to avoid hard things. Yet some of God’s greatest work happens through the very circumstances we would never choose for ourselves. Time and again, He brings beauty from difficulty. Before judging this couple, I would challenge us all to look inward. What hard thing are you running from? Is it possible that God wants to use that very thing to bless you beyond imagination?

I do not agree with the decision they made. I believe every life has value, including the life of this unborn child. But I also believe those parents have value. I believe they need prayer, and I believe in a God whose mercy is greater than our failures.”